Italy-The Leaning Tower of Pisa and Florence, Flaunting the Artistic Masterpieces- Part Two

Return time and again and still you would not be able to drink in everything Florence has to offer. This cradle of renaissance has more artistic treasures per square meter than any other city you can think of! Where else can you stroll the same streets walked by Leonardo da Vinci, Botticelli and Michelangelo while relishing one of the world’s best gelato? 😎

Our first destination in Florence was indeed the Piazza Duomo, which is filled with some of Europe’s finest building ensembles – the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Campanile, and the Baptistery with their dazzling walls of intricate inlaid colored marble sure enamored us. It dominates the city’s skyline and still defines the scale by overshadowing the other buildings in the square.

The cathedral is Italy’s third-largest church, but rather than the size what draws it to you is the sheer magic of artistry. It is said that the alternating colors of the inlaid marble were chosen to exemplify the two basic principles of Florentine art: “rectitude and beauty.” True to its words, the splendor exuded by this architectural marvel is really one of a kind. <3

Just WOW !

If you can spot a tiny couple posing, thats us! 😛

If you thought this was heights of magnificence wait until you see this dome! The immensity of this dome designed by Brunelleschi will surely take your breath away. So will the stairs leading up to it I heard and we did not venture to climb the 500 or so stairs. The views are deemed spectacular covering the entire city and beyond to the Tuscan hills. Anyone up for this? ^^’

Zoom in and you can see people on top of the dome! :O

We then proceeded to see another famous landmark Piazza della Signoria. If Piazza Duomo was more about religion, the Signoria Square is the symbol of civic life in the city. Over the principal side of the piazza rises the massive Palazzo Vecchio, Florence’s town hall (still the seat of the local government, it is a working building housing many offices that Florentines use on a daily basis, as well as the mayor’s office). The square is a reminder of great triumphs and is replete with some awe-inspiring sculptures, each of them with a story to marvel about.

Palazzo Vecchio

Just outside the Palazzo Vecchio you can see a copy of Michelangelo’s David kept to represent the perfect symbol of republican virtues, of courage and strength in the service of the State. The original was moved to the Accademia gallery due to the damages caused. The statue of Marzocco, the heraldic lion of Florence holding the city’s coat of arms, the one of Perseus With The Head of Medusa by Cellini and the Fountain of the Neptune were a few others which are quite renowned. I was always besotted by Greek mythology and my visit to Italy was such a great opportunity to learn more about it and see and experience everything for real. <3

Copy of Michelangelo’s David

Perseus With The Head of Medusa

Us in front of the Fountain of Neptune 🙂

Our time in Florence came quickly to an end before we could even anticipate it. But we were too excited to dwell on it since our next spot was the Leaning Tower of Pisaaa! Yeaay. I had seen countless pics of people “propping up” the tower with their hand or even finger 😀 And I was excited, I was about to as well. Thankfully it did not need any photoshopping or professional photography and as usual my hubs to the rescue 😉 One of the tourists was kind enough to take a fun photo of both of us as well 😀

Ooh, I am trying to straighten the Leaning Tower of Pisa 😛

<3

The Leaning Campanile, along with its massive Cathedral, Baptistry and Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) in the immaculate and gorgeous setting of green lawns is collectively known as Piazza dei Miracoli or the Field of Miracles. Did you know that at about 183 feet tall, the tower leans around FOUR degrees, which means that at the top, it is actually displaced around 13 feet from its bottom. 😮 Yikes! But fear not, since its architecturally still sound enough for you to huff and puff your way through the 300 steps to the top. 😀

Piazza dei Miracoli

I guess I would regale you with my Rome and Vatican City stories in another post. Oh yes, Rome is there as well! How can a trip to Italy be complete without a visit to the powerhouse of world history, with an exhilarating city scape replete with renowned monuments, the Eternal City Rome? We will be starting from the world’s smallest country Vatican City which by the way has the world’s second-largest church, so see you in St.Peters Square next 🙂 Or should we take a detour to the Big Apple ? 😉 Let’s see, shall we 😀

Much Love, ❤️
Minaxi 😊

Italy-The Leaning Tower of Pisa and Florence, Flaunting the Artistic Masterpieces- Part Two was last modified: March 30th, 2017 by Minaxi (Holidays & HappilyEverAfters)

Minaxi is just a mermaid-haired wanderess with the heart of a hippie and the soul of a gypsy. When she is not fueling her wanderlusty needs in the exotic world out there with her man Vishnu, she loves to waltz with words and is the high-spirited storyteller at Holidays and HappilyEverAfters, sharing all her adventures on the road/ocean/sky! Oh and she is mostly a pink light of positivity with a passionate belief in fairytales, but if you are a non-believer please do not break it to her as she might fall off her unicorn in shock!

Aww, thanks a lot dear. A wonderful compliment from one of my favorite blogs 🙂 And am so happy you like my way of writing. I am always wondering if I am doing justice to the beauty of places or am I being over the top 😐 Glad you like them the way it is 🙂

Omg Minaxi!!!!! You cannot imagine how your post made me feel…. NOSTALGIC…. I miss beautiful Italy and especially Firenze ❤❤❤ Your pics are awesome and you make a really good looking couple with your boyfriend 😉

Haha. Thank you Maja 😀 😉 We seldom have pics of us together in all these wonderful places. It is mostly selfies since we are on our own 😛 But, sometimes the other kind tourists offer to take our photos and bless them for that! 😀

i love florence! too bad you didnt get to spend more time there watching the sunset from the top of the duomo is one of my favorite memories there! great shot of the leaning tower, those “propping up” shots are harder to capture than i thought!

Fabulous pictures, looks gorgeous – and a really good angle for the tower shots! I nearly booked Pisa for our upcoming trip but settled on Madeira. There must be something in the air though – my post tomorrow is very Italian!!

I loved this! I’ve visited Florence so many times, but you gave me a totally fresh and informative take on it. Thank you! Your writing is always enjoyable and I’m looking forward to your NYC stories. And good luck preparing for your trip! So exciting 🙂

Thank you sooo much for the kind words dear. I mean it. I am still figuring out my ways to convey the beauty of a place I visited and it makes me so happy to know that you enjoyed it 😊 And thanks for the wishes too. I cannot wait to write about it! But first , let me reach there 😛 We have still a couple of days to go 🙂

Oh what fun that was traveling with you!! What beautiful pictures, all those statues along the Cathedral and what a beautiful piece of architecture! The Palazzo Vecchio and all its statues and the Leaning Tower, what fun pics of you and hubby holding up the tower! You write with such life and vibrancy I love reading your posts! Ok well look forward to finding out what are next trip is…I’m all packed and ready!! xo 🙂

Sorry I’ve been out of touch; I am back in action again (I bet you know how that is). Stay tuned for more regular postings! I’d love it if you could tell me what you’d like to see more of: travel, bucket list, pilot-wife-life, lifestyle, yoga, or turquoise inspiration (or all of the above, lol)!
Jessica, Turquoise Compass

Hi Minaxi! This post brings up so many memories, we use to live couple of streets down from the Duomo in Firenze and just the other day were looking at old pictures from there – and our little Annie was just a puppy then, hopping around the gobble stone streets. Great post and so many nice pictures, thank you! Have a great weekend!

Hi Minaxi, You are invited to my monthly blog party which just started right now. The link is Summery blog party live link. It’s through the weekend. Do step in and let’s get this party started and mix with others. Regards, Jacqueline

I had actually been to your blog in the morning and I was lost in the sea of knowledge you have there 😮 I will make a detailed visit soon. And such a powerhouse of Greek literature complimenting me on the photos. Wow. My day is made 😀 Thank you so much. And wishing you a blissful and blessed week ahead too 🙂

Ahh! So excited to read about Rome! If I had to pick just ONE favorite place in all of Italy, it would have to be Bella Roma! I just loved it there. Florence and Pisa were a lot of fun as well! Glad you guys enjoyed it! Florence had our favorite restaurant – ZaZa’s… SO GOOD!

Ooh is it ? Sad we missed it : Yes, I must say Rome is spectacular but then there are so many places like the Amalfi, Capri etc. which I have not been to but seen pics and look SO amazing! Italy is indeed a treasure house of the most exotic places.

Hi,
I know Tony, Jacqueline, and Aquileana.
I also like games. I met you at Jacqueline’s party. Maybe you can check out my blog if you need a blogging tip or two. That’s what I write about. Like Jacqueline, I have blog parties regularly.
Janice

Hello Janice 🙂 Such a pleasure to meet you. I would be dropping by your side soon 🙂 Blog parties are so much fun. I would love to read all the wonderful tips you have to share! Thank you for visiting 🙂 Have a blessed week. 🙂

Hi, Fab blog! I have just set up mine, but still in the very early stages – a few months old. Just making efforts to link in with fellow bloggers to improve our followers and get the word out there for us both. I would appreciate you having a peek at my blog, as I have published several posts. Feel free to like, comment, follow or just take a peek. Thank you 🙂

That’s it! My day is totally MADE! To inspire someone to travel, what more could a travel junkie ask for..I am so so glad I could. And thanks a ton for the dreamy words Nessie <3 I cannot tell you how much it brightened my day 🙂 *hugs* <3

Once again, you bring back memories when my family and I visited Italy, including Florence, Rome, Venice, a small town in the Tuscany area. The Vatican City was great. So much to see! It’s always funny to see people trying to straighten out the Leaning Tower!

heehee. I know right. Its a cliche pose but still that doesn prevent you from doing it 😛 I am so glad that my posts evoke memories of others travelogues 🙂 It is such a great feeling to reminisce about the wonderful journeys we have been on <3

It sounds like a lot of fun. There can’t be so very many places in the world that have a city hall that’s been in continuous use since medieval times. Good work keeping the Leaning Tower from toppling over, by the way. I hope you passed that important task on to someone else before you left. 🙂

I love revisiting some of these places through your artistic and gorgeous eyes Minaxi. This post brought back lots of beautiful memories. It looks like you two had such a wonderful time.
I enjoyed every picture and your words thoroughly.

Hahaha! Under a rock? Lol 😀 That teared me up! And I am still grinning 😀 I am not in Italy now. I am in…NYC!!!! 😀 <3 We had the chance to explore a few countries in Europe a while ago and I am just sharing my escapades of that 🙂 You liked the HarleyDavidson post ? 🙂 Thank you so much <3 That was my second post when I was still a baby at blogging! hehe 🙂 Not that I have grown up now!

Thank you so much for sharing this! You have allowed the joy of going back in time to the only place I ever felt alive! I don’t know if you made it to Piazza Santa Croce or not but I lived right around the corner from there from 1980 to 1983. From 18-20 years of age. I miss it every day. I am so happy you loved it.

Oh wow how wonderful. Lived in Italy <3 I am so glad I could evoke some nostalgia. I loved every minute in Italy. And ever since my visit, I so badly wish atleast I was in Europe so that we could enjoy all this gorgeousness at our own pace 🙂 Thanks a lot Leah for the compliment. I am sorry for the late reply 🙁

Heylooow :)

I’m Minaxi, just a dreamy wanderess with the heart of a hippie and the soul of a gypsy.
When I am not fueling my wanderlusty needs in the exotic world out there with my man Vishnu, I love to waltz with words and is the high-spirited storyteller at Holidays and HappilyEverAfters!
Diagnosed with the “curious case of interminable travel bug” and a huge believer of “happily-ever-afters”, this is the place where I share with you, our holiday escapades, travel tricks, tips (and quips!) and shine my positive pink light on what can get us close to the ever elusive happily-ever-afters we all look for in every stage of life ;)
So hop on aboard and enjoy the Happy Place of Holidays and HappilyEverAfters, where wishful wanderlust meets vistas of positivity aaand I pinky promise to keep it real :)

follow and thou-shalt not miss the fun ;)

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